Fingerprinting to be introduced for Foreigners in Korea

Korea Times reported that from today (June 30, 2011), foreign nationals aged over 17 who enter South Korea for a stay of more than 91 days will have their fingerprints scanned at immigration offices in line with a new law, the Ministry of Justice said Thursday.

Those who have already lived here for more than three months will be required to present the biometric information to the authorities from January next year, the ministry said.

Collected fingerprints will be used to identify those involved in crimes or accidents, it said.

This is the first collection of fingerprints of long-staying foreigner nationals in nearly eight years, following its abolishment in 2003 over human rights concerns. The revised Immigration Act that justifies the collection was passed in May last year.

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